The girls are 6 Months!

We have made it halfway through a year...how is that possible?

The girls turned 6 months two days after Christmas (yes I am tardy again...not a surprise!)

6 months has come entirely too fast and while I want time to slow I am enjoying every second with these two and love watching them do new things each day!

We love these sweet girls so much, especially Parker and they feel the same way about him!  Everything he does puts a huge smile on their face and results in giggles!  I love seeing the three of them together!!

The girls had a wonderful first Christmas and although they have no idea what was going on or why they were ridiculously spoiled by us and family...they are enjoying all their fun little toys and looking precious in their new attire! 

Reese:

• She cut her first tooth... front bottom left!
• rolling everywhere!
• sleeping in her crib!  (she would have done this months ago but mommy wouldn't let her!)  She loves it!
• had her first trip to a pediatric ER...so sad.  Her and mommy both had bronchitis. She was such a trooper and was still her smiley happy self!
• enjoyed her 1st Christmas and her first NYE!!
• started sitting up on her own!  Still needs someone close by for when she decides to take a little spill but getting stronger and sitting longer each day!
• constantly babbling and laughing!  
• at first she was my more high maintenance one but now she seems to be the more relaxed and laid back baby
• started eating baby foods.  Pretty sure we started much earlier with Park but pedi here didn't mention starting till now...oh well!

Morgan:

• rolling everywhere
• have not seen a tooth cut through yet but she is drooling and chewing on everything she can get her hands on
• sleeping in her crib and loves it!
• enjoyed her 1st Christmas and NYE!
• started sitting up on her own!  Still needs someone close by for when she decides to take a little spill but getting stronger and sitting longer each day
• constantly babbling and one day even muttered something that sounded like mama...so of course I have convinced myself it was!
• started eating baby foods
• she is currently the more serious of the two, I am loving watching how their tiny personalities already change!

Happy belated 6 months sweet girls!!!

THREE YEARS OLD!

This past Sunday, December 1st...my baby turned THREE!

 

Can you believe it?  I cant!

 

I cried a few times.  Once as I was putting him to bed on his last night as a two year old, then when he got on his big boy bike he got for his bday and finally when my Time Hop app popped up and I saw the pics from the past 3 years and a few fb post that I honestly feel I just posted days ago!

 

I am not sure how time can move so quickly.  Each day he wakes up and does something or says something that just reassures me that he is in fact becoming a big boy!

 

Parker at three...

 

• You are absolutely hilarious!  You are always being goofy and doing what you can to put a smiles on others face
• You are so tender hearted and can get your feelings hurt easily.  You are so caring of others feelings and get upset when you see others upset or hurting
• You are so stubborn!!  You know what you want and how you want it.  Whether that be with food, clothes or how we play with your toys...its your way!  It drives me insane at times but I love that you know what you want!
• You became a big brother and you are the best big brother in the world.  I was so scared about how having your sisters would affect you.  One is a big change, but two is HUGE!  You just rolled with it and love them so much!  There are times where I can tell you get aggravated but you have been such a champ!
• You LOVE trains, planes, trucks and dinosaurs.
• Your favorite things to do are going to the park, riding your scooter, playing outside, doing puzzles and going to school
• You are still the pickiest eater.  We have added a few things to your menu over the past year but not many.  Hoping when your sisters start to eat you decide it may be a good time for you too!
• You are potty trained.  We decided to give it a try after your sisters came and you nailed it!  3 days and you were good to go in your big boy undies!!  So proud...I feared potty training!
• You are starting to ask to dress yourself.  The outfits you put together can be pretty interesting!

 

We love you so much sweet boy and are so proud of the big boy you are becoming!  We love watching you learn and grow everyday and we love that you keep smiles on our faces even in the times where you drive us crazy!!!

 



 

It's hard being three!!!

 

 

 

5 months...almost a week late!

Our sweet little angels turned 5 months old the day before Thanksgiving!!

That means in one short month they will be half way to a year.

 

They were right when they said it goes by so much faster the second time around and I really believe that having twins makes it go by even faster!!

 

Feeling like a major mom fail for this late post but our Thanksgiving was so busy, with me hosting 21 family member and housing 12 of them not including my 5...it was a wee bit cray cray to say the least! 

 

The girls are doing more and more each day!  They are so much fun and it is getting to a point where Parker is having so much fun watching them now too!  He loves when they laugh and babble on and on!  He talks baby to them (copying me) and is so sweet.  It melts my heart!

 

Here is what our little ladies have been up to:

 

Reese:

• constantly rolling over and scooting around on her belly and back
• loves being on her tummy and playing with everything on her mat.  she loves grabbing at everything
• she is teething.  no pearly whites in site just yet but constantly chewing on her hands/fingers, drooling up a storm and has bouts of fussy ness recently that I believe to be due to teeth.  We were gifted amber necklaces from my cousin and are trying them out to see how they help
• babbling up a storm
• laughing all the time.  my cousins husband had her belly laughing this past week to the point where tears were coming from her eyes.  I had never seen anything like it.  (will try to post video)
• wearing 0-3 month and still a few newborn items
• just moved to size two diapers
• she is now going to physical therapy once every other week for the torticollis.  We had seen great improvement but today at therapy she was very tight so we are continuing to work hard!
• loves being in the jumperoo
• celebrated her first Thanksgiving
• had rice cereal for the first time.  really didn't seem to mind it.

 

Morgan:

 

 

 

• Miss Morgan rolls over when she feels like it.  I think she realized rolling over meant she would result in her doing more than her normal time of tummy time so she avoids it.  She still is not a fan of that! 
• She scoots everywhere on her back.  Lay her on the mat, leave the room and I come back and her feet are where her head was!
• she is teething.  no pearly whites in site just yet but constantly chewing on her hands/fingers, drooling up a storm and has bouts of fussy ness recently that I believe to be due to teeth.  We were gifted amber necklaces from my cousin and are trying them out to see how they help
• babbling up a storm
• she is always all smiles and has the sweetest quiet little laugh!  She thinks her daddy is the funniest guy ever!  He always gets the best giggles out of her!
• wearing 0-3 month and still a few newborn items
• just moved to size two diapers
• loves being in the jumperoo
• celebrated her first Thanksgiving
• had rice cereal for the first time.  did great with it!  I cannot believe we will be starting baby foods soon...time to get my recipes out!!

 

Now hopefully today I can get those 5 months pics taken!!!

 

 

 

 





Punkin Patch

As Parker would call it.  Actually he refers to any single pumpkin as a Punkin Patch!

 

I love going to the pumpkin patch!  Something about the feeling of fall and an opportunity for some cute photo opps of my kiddos gets me all excited!!

 

This year we ventured to a new pumpkin patch (to us) that was "all the rage" from most people I spoke to in our area.  So we loaded up and headed out with Aunt DeeDee in tow.

 

OH MY...this place was an absolute mad house.  Filled with a plethora of bounce houses and slides, food tents, plywood cut outs of just about any character/show/movie you could ever even begin to think of.  They have a tiny train pulled by a tractor that ran around the property that had a line with enough ppl in it to fill Cowboy Stadium (silly parents...I am not that nice!).  Needless to say I was slightly annoyed.  Afterall, I just wanted a nice pumpkin patch with great little set ups for photo ops and what I got was a pumpkin patch on crack!

 

But we were there and had just paid to enter and spent 30 minutes parking...so we were making the most of it!

After fighting the crowds with my big double stroller we made it in and of course over to the bounce houses!  The only thing that made the entire day worth it was how much fun my little guy had.  He loves a good bounce house and big slide!  He looked so grown up waiting in the lines, shoes off, standing as close to the person in front of him as he could (he had to make sure no one cut in front of him!)  The look on his face when he knew he was next was almost like Christmas morning!!

 

After that I got what I came for...a few pictures of my littles and our family with the pumpkins!!!

 

 

 

 

ps- see the line of cars behind us...that was the line to get in.  CRAZY!

 

 

 

4 months...thats one-third of a year

TIME SLOW DOWN!

 

This is the last time I will have babies and I do not want it rushing by!

 

These four months have flown and we are enjoying every single minute of them!

 

The girls were 4 months on Sunday and had their doctor appointment today!

 

Over the past couple weeks they have really started filling out and putting on that most amazing baby chub!  I just love it!  Especially because that means all those clothes that have just been hanging in their closet are finally getting some wear!

 

Reese:

 

 

• She weighs 12lbs 10 oz and measured 24 inches long
• wearing size one diapers
• wearing 0-3 and 3 month clothes
• constantly laughing
• rolling onto her left side and trying so hard to get over...but that dang shoulder is still getting in her way!!
• babbling on all day...especially when she sees herself in a mirror.  I keep trying to get video of her and her sister when they babble back and forth but of course they both stop and stare as soon as I get a camera in their face!
• Loves sitting up in her bumbo and looking all around the room!!
• grabbing at everything.  if it is in reach, she will get it and shake it and sometimes hit herself in the face with it...ouch!
• kicking around like crazy...when on her back she is using her feet to scoot herself (slightly, no major movement) around.
• still seeing a physical therapist once a week for her torticollis.  We are seeing really good improvements and her pedi thinks at this point any issues will correct themselves as soon as she is sitting up and as her neck gets stronger.  We are still going to be proactive in the meantime!
• she wants nothing to do with her paci anymore.  she gets pretty angry when/if I offer it to her...guess that's a good thing in the long run but makes calming her down a times a little harder now!
• had her first visit to the pumpkin patch!



Morgan:

 

She weighs 11lbs 8oz and measured 24 inches long
wearing size one diapers
wearing 0-3 and 3 month clothes
constantly laughing and always all smiles
rolling onto her left side and trying so hard to get over...but that dang shoulder is still getting in her way!!
babbling on all day...especially when she sees herself in a mirror.  I keep trying to get video of her and her sister when they babble back and forth but of course they both stop and stare as soon as I get a camera in their face!
Loves sitting up in her bumbo and looking all around the room!!
enjoying tummy time more and more.
grabbing at everything.  if it is in reach, she will get it and shake it and sometimes hit herself in the face with it...ouch!
kicking around like crazy...when on her back she is using her feet to scoot herself (slightly, no major movement) around.  I try to keep her on her noggin nest and she always scoots right off
had her first visit to the pumpkin patch!

 

 They are both completely in love with their big brother and he feels the exact same!

Always wanting to hold them and kiss them and help me take care of them.

He brought me a paci the other day and I gave it to one of them and she stopped fussing and he looked at me so serious and said "I told you so" and then gave me the sweetest grin!

They are so lucky to have him watching out for them!!!

 

 

Happy four months baby girls!  We love you!

 

talking about their day!

 

 

3 months...

I know this is almost a week late, but hey life is busy! 

 

Can you believe 3 months have already passed?  Me either!

 

These sweet baby girls are such a blessing to us and we love watching them grow everyday!

 

I really love seeing how they are both becoming more aware of each other.  Always looking at/for one another and grabbing onto one another while doing playtime, etc.  It is so sweet!  I pray daily that they will have a strong and close bond and will be each others best friend always!

Miss Reese:

 



• As you can see this sweet girl is getting so strong and holding her head up like a champ!  She actually enjoys tummy time these days!  We are so proud and excited watching her build those neck muscles.  The stronger her neck gets the easier it will be to work on correcting her torticollis.
• Speaking of torticollis, she is still receiving physical therapy once a week and we are seeing small improvements.  She is always very stiff when she wakes up and we do our stretches throughout the day and by evening she seems great.  Then overnight she tends to tense right back up.  I wish I could stay up all night and make sure she doesn't bring that ear and shoulder together, but I know that's not realistic.
• She is smiling and laughing all of the time! 
• Cooing is also a new favorite hobby!  I love listening to them go on and on!
• Still sleeping good we put them down around 1030 and they are waking around 7.  They eat and fall straight back to sleep for a little bit.
• We are still swaddling, but Miss Reese has been showing signs that she may be ready for the swaddling to end!  I think we will probably take the swaddle away here in the next few weeks.
• She is constantly sucking on her hands
• Still wearing size 1 diapers and newborn clothes.  Slowly fitting into more and more 0-3 month outfits
• She is rolling onto her left side constantly. 

Miss Morgan:

 

• She is getting better with tummy time each day.  Still not a huge fan of it.  I try to keep her on her tummy as much as I can to help her build that neck strength and also to get her off her back.  Her little head has a pretty decent flat spot right now!  Pretty much the same as Parkers so I am sure it will round itself out eventually.
• Miss Morgan is always all smiles.  She is so happy and its rare not to catch her with a smile or a giggle!
• She is constantly moving her legs and lifting her little bottom trying to roll to her side, but hasn't quite made it.  I think she will be there anyday!
• Cooing is also a new favorite hobby!  I love listening to them go on and on!
• Still sleeping good, we put them down around 1030 and they are waking around 7.  They eat and fall straight back to sleep for a little bit.
• We are still swaddling and Morgan still seems to love it!  Rarely trying to break free!
• She is constantly sucking on her hands
• Still wearing size 1 diapers and newborn clothes.  The 0-3 months still tend to swallow this little lady.  Its amazing what a few ounces can do when it comes to baby clothes fitting!

Love these sweet girls with everything in me and cannot believe they are already 1/4 of a year old.  Yes, I think about it like that and make myself even more depressed at how quickly the time goes!!

 

Here are a few pics:

 

 SFA vs Texas Tech, mom and dads alma maters and girls had to side with mom!

 big bro is always watching over them!

 checking each other out during tummy time

 on our actual 3 month birthday

Aunt Lindsay captured this when she came over for a slumber party!





And then there were two...

Well it is official...we only have 2 in diapers.

Yes, I am aware two still seems like alot to most.  But in our house 2 is way better than 3!

Three weeks ago we decided it was time to try this whole potty training thing out.  We have had a little potty for ever now and months back let him pick out a little cars seat to sit on top of our potty.  Over the past few months we have asked him if we would like to try to potty.  Sometimes we received a yes, most times a no and other times he would run in to the restroom just so he could flush!  I mean that is the most exciting part, right!?!

When it came time to select our "method" I really did not have a clue what I was going to do.  I had many people telling me to try this and to try that.  For some reason one method that stuck in my head was the 3 Day Method that Katie over Happenings of the Hermanns used with her handsome little guy.  She had great success and I loved the way they made it so fun!

I went back and skimmed over her post, took the gist of it and went full force ahead!

Friday when the hubs got home we packed up our crew and headed to target.  Mind you we had been talking to Parker all week about how this weekend he was going to become a big boy who only wore underwear and that we were going to say goodbye to his diapers.  He would get really excited at times and other times tell me flat out NO!  So we got to target and I sent the boys to the dollar section to find fun/random/cheap toys to fill our toy basket and to pick out LOTS of new big boy underwear.   While they did that I picked up some party horns, poster board, stickers and candy.

We headed home and continued to hype up to him how exciting potty training was going to be and that we would start it as soon as he woke up.

That night I got everything prepped...

The prize basket and some of his new underwear

His sticker chart

The candy (which I think I ate more of...this child is not bribed by candy)

And of course I had to cut vinyl to decorate the toilets!!!

Nothing my boy loves more than trucks and dinosaurs!

So Saturday morning he woke up and we took him straight to the restroom put him on the toilet and threw his diaper away.  He did not go that first time, but that was ok.  He sat on the potty for a few minutes and that was just fine by us.  So we put some underwear on him and let him put a star sticker on his chart.

He got a star sticker each time he sat on the potty and a candy if he wanted one.  He got a Cars sticker for the chart and a prize if he went to the restroom.  We also went completely crazy everytime he went in the potty, screaming, clapping and blowing the party horns!  We overloaded him with positive praise and you could see the pride in his sweet little face!  We set an alarm for every 15 minutes to the tone of a motorcycle per Parks request.   Each time it went off we would run to the rest room.  We would make him sit on the toilet for as long as we could each time he went in there.  We kept him entertained with potty apps and potty books!

Be prepared...we had a TON of accidents that first day.

I want to say by 1 or 2 we had been through 13 pairs of underwear.  Each time he had an accident we told him it was okay and immediately put him on the potty.  As the day went of I could notice a difference though.  He was becoming more aware.  I wont lie, that night I still felt a little defeated and had alot of wine!

We put him in a pull-up for bed.  When he got up the next morning he was dry. 

 Took him straight to the potty and guess what....he went! 

Day two he didn't seem as into our alarm and when we told him to go get on the potty he was kind of fighting us.  But we also noticed he wasn't have any accidents.  As the day went on we noticed he would just walk off and take himself to the restroom and go on his own and then holler for us (of course we were peeking around the corner but he thought he was on his own...Mr. Independent)  He also wanted nothing to do with the cars seat that sits ontop of the big toilet anymore...he just wanted to sit on the big toilet.

That day we only had 3 accidents and he woke up with a dry pull-up after nap too.

Monday the hubs went back to work and I was a little nervous.

Park woke up dry again and was accident free all day.  I constantly asked him throughout the day if he had to go and he would tell me no when he didn't and when he did he would just run in there when I asked.

Monday was a big day because that was the first day that I heard "Mommy, I poopoo"  I ran into the restroom(I had been in living room feeding girls) and sure enough he had...in the toilet!  Thank goodness we never experienced any accidents with #2!

That day I decided to brave it and let him nap in his underwear...woke up dry!

We still put him in a pull-up that night but when he woke up Tuesday dry we said bye bye to those too. 

So since Tuesday, August 20th our little guy has been completely diaper free and in big boy underwear.

He has honestly amazed us!  Besides making it fun and adding the little extra details here and there like stickers to the toilet seat, I really take no credit for this success.  It was all him and him being ready!

I do have to brag.  The following weekend we did make the 4 hour road trip to Houston.  Since there are many areas along the way where there are no places to stop and some areas where I wouldn't allow us to stop we did put him in a pull-up for the ride.  At one stop the hubs took him to the restroom and he was DRY and used the potty there.  Once we arrived to my parents we took him straight in and again DRY!  He rocks!

We are so proud of him and SO excited that we got to cancel that monthly shipment of those size 6 diapers from Amazon!!!